Center Operations Head

The Visa Application Centre Manager is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the centre, ensuring adherence to service standards, process compliance, and high levels of customer satisfaction. This role involves leading the centre team, managing costs and revenue, and acting as the primary liaison with the diplomatic mission. The manager ensures smooth centre operations while driving continuous improvements and maintaining security and confidentiality standards.

Key Responsibilities

- Manage daily centre operations to ensure visa applications are processed according to standard operating procedures (SOPs), service levels, and turnaround times.
- Achieve revenue targets, deliver value-added services, and meet productivity goals while controlling operating costs effectively.
- Lead and develop the centre team through workforce planning, rostering, performance management, and training initiatives.
- Ensure all staff complete required process training and certifications, and that SOPs and work instructions are regularly updated and followed.
- Maintain physical and information security, ensuring timely reporting of any incidents.
- Monitor and enhance satisfaction levels among applicants, the diplomatic mission, and employees.
- Manage the day-to-day relationship with the diplomatic mission, including conducting operational reviews and implementing follow-up actions.
- Drive process improvements and implement new procedures to optimize centre operations.
- Handle personal data with strict confidentiality and comply with applicable data protection regulations.
- Adhere to health and safety policies and promptly report any concerns.
- Complete all mandatory training within specified timeframes.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification.
- At least eight years of experience in service operations, including a minimum of three years in a leadership role managing a customer-facing site or team.
- Proven experience working in high-volume environments with established service-level agreements.
- Fluency in the local language of the assigned country.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Required Skills and Competencies

- Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
- Commitment to service quality and achieving results.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to foster teamwork and collaboration.
- Expertise in managing visa application centre operations.
- Thorough understanding of process and SOP compliance.
- Skilled in customer experience management.
- Competence in workforce planning and productivity optimization.
- Knowledge of security protocols and incident management.

Working Requirements

- Willingness to travel occasionally within the assigned country.
- Flexibility to work according to centre operating hours, including shifts, peak periods, and weekends as needed.

This position offers the opportunity to lead a critical operational hub serving both applicants and diplomatic missions, with a focus on delivering high-quality service and continuous improvement in a dynamic environment.